A Girl Like Her
by TinyDancer14
Summary: Why would a fellow want a girl like her? A girl who's merely lovely? Why can't a fellow ever once prefer a girl who's merely me?


**Haha, yeah. So this is a one-shot I thought of while watching my dance recital DVD. I know, inspirations for story ideas come to me a weird and random times. But my BFFs for life the P sisters (not going to put last name on here for obvious reasons) danced to this song in said recital and it was _hilarious_. So here goes another one-shot kind of songfic by muah. Enjoy please!!**

**This song comes from Cinderella, but not Disney's version. In fact it's by Rogers and Hammerstein for the Cinderella movie with real people, not the cartoon. If you've seen this version, then you most probably know the song.**

**I own absolutely nothing. I am not affiliated with Disney, the HSM cast, or Rogers and Hammerstein. Yay for them, boo for me.**

* * *

A Girl Like Her

"... Well I was going to drop this off to you later, but... I think you deserve it now."

"Oh gosh, what is it? What did you do this time?"

"You'll love it, I promise."

"Oh Troy, it's gorgeous!! You didn't have to do this..."

"Of course I did. It's because I love you."

"You are so adorable."

Sharpay Evans scowled as she watched Troy and Gabriella a few feet away from her locker. They made her _sick_. Everyday it was something new. Yesterday she'd come in with a new haircut and he'd carried on about how amazing she looked. Today he bought her a dark blue promise ring and she freaked out. Now, as the two were heavily making out, Sharpay had to believe that Gabriella's new hair was not totally flattering. She looked much better with long hair. And as for the promise ring? Hideous.

Okay so _maybe_ she was a little jealous. But she had completely moved on- she no longer drooled over Troy like she had in the past. Now her feelings for him were just kind of... there. She didn't love him, nor was she infatuated, but she just didn't want him to be with Gabriella. Sharpay didn't want Troy for herself... okay, maybe a little, but she most certainly didn't want him to be with Gabriella. Geeky Jenny from her Chemistry class? Totally fine. Anorexic Ashley from Gym? Sure. Martha Cox? Why not-? ... Actually, that would be really weird and awkward. Disregard that last thought.

But it was just something about Gabriella that made Sharpay tick. Why did Troy settle for _her_? He was a god and gods are supposed to choose goddesses for their girlfriends. And Gabriella was certainly not a goddess. Sure, she may have nice hair and facial features and a great body, but she was so nerdy and... short. She was _shorter_ than him. Was there no decency left in this world?

"Hey Sharpay!" Zeke Baylor greeted the blonde, obstructing her view of the 'Golden Couple' who were now playfully arguing over who loved who most. "What's going on?"

"Hi Zeke," Sharpay greeted the boy uninterestedly.

"What are you looking at?" He turned, his vision meeting where Sharpay's gaze had still not left. "Oh, Troy and Gabriella? They're sweet, aren't they?"

Sharpay could've vomited in disgust. "Yeah. Sweet. They're about as sweet as a carton of four-month-old milk sitting out in the sun on a hot summer day."

"I thought you were over Troy."

"I am," She lied, not only to Zeke, but to herself as well. "But why in hell would he go out with _her_?"

"Oh come on, Sharpay," Zeke attempted. "Gabriella's not repulsive. She's really pretty, right?"

"She's not completely unfortunate looking." She admitted reluctantly.

"And she's smart too. Kind of funny when she wants to be."

"Are you trying to make me depressed?" Sharpay glared at the boy before turning back to her locker and primping her hair a little. To herself, she muttered, "Why not me?"

"Sharpay, I don't want to make you depressed. I just wanted you to try-"

"Zeke!" She shouted, whipping around to face him again. "I am _not_ trying any more of your ridiculous recipes! If you so much as _think_ about making a scone, brownie, or cake in my presence, you will regret. Go make someone else sick with your bizarre concoctions!"

He looked clearly disappointed. "It wasn't that bad last time."

"I threw up for three days straight!"

"You recovered quite well."

"I broke out in hives all over!"

"The Calamine lotion really helped stop the itching."

"My face swelled five times its normal size!"

"You didn't look that bad."

"I looked like a blowfish!!"

"I happen to like blowfish."

Sharpay groaned. "I am so not in the mood for this. Go find Jason; he's dumber than I am."

"Sharpay wait!" Zeke called after her stalking figure.

She turned around momentarily to utter in a low voice, "Do _not_ pester me when I am having boy troubles."

Zeke sighed. But even though she treated him the way that she did, he still wanted nothing more than to be with her.

* * *

"Sharpay!"

"Oh my god, I told you I wasn't interested in eating another death cake!" Sharpay bellowed as Zeke ran up to her car after the final bell.

"No no no, this isn't a cake," He handed her a compact disc. "It's a CD. Kelsi helped me make it."

"You made me a CD?" She asked skeptically. "Really?"

"Well it's not really a CD. There's only one song on it. But I heard it at my little sister's play the other night and it really reminds me of you."

"Didn't your sister's school do _Cinderella_?"

"Yup."

"Great, am I the ugly stepsister? Because I'd rather be the princess."

Zeke laughed. "No, you're not the stepsister."

"Then am I the princess?"

"No, you're not really either of them," He tried to explain. "Just listen to the song."

She sighed and pushed the CD into her car radio. Instantly, a catchy, playful tune sang out into the East High parking lot, and just before the words started, Zeke cleared his throat.

"Um... this is from your point of view. It's... about the whole Troy and Gabriella relationship."

"Oh," Sharpay said with a frown, reaching over to switch off the radio. "Then in that case, I'm not interested. But thank you for making the effort to piss me off even more."

"Just listen to the song!" He pleaded. "It's not a big deal."

"Oh yeah?" She replied, getting into her car and sticking the key into the ignition. "Well it is to me."

As she drove home, she began to regret leaving the way she had. He _had_ gone through all of that trouble just to burn this CD for her, the least she could do was just listen to it, right? And of course, she didn't have to like it, did she? Freedom of appreciation- wasn't that in the constitution? She sighed begrudgingly and sat idle in her driveway for a long time before reaching forward and pressing the play button again. She was sure she was going to end up hearing some horrible love ballad from the stage production, but what actually played was a much more... different song.

_Why should a fellow want a girl like her?  
A frail and fluffy beauty?  
Why can't a fellow ever once prefer  
A solid girl like me?!_

"Is he implying that I'm fat?" Sharpay questioned no one. "And what horrible pitch this singer has!"

_She's a frothy little bubble  
With a flimsy kind of charm  
And with very little trouble  
I could break her little arm! _

She had to laugh at this one. Gabriella did appear to be very small and fragile. Her arms and legs were like little twigs that she could just walk over and snap. Well, if anger ever rose that high, at least Sharpay knew she had an infallible weapon. Sharpay wasn't very muscular either, but at least she had more meat on her bones than Gabriella. She took a moment to pat herself on the back for her very balanced diet and exercise plan. Gabriella clearly wasn't getting enough lactose.

_Oh why would a fellow want a girl like her?  
So obviously unusual?  
Why can't a fellow ever once prefer_

_A usual girl like me?! _

_Her cheeks are a pretty shade of pink,  
But not any pinker than a rose's.  
Her skin may be delicate and soft  
But not any softer than a doe's is._

"Exactly!" She, again, shouted to no one. "This is where I don't understand Troy's fascination. She's just as pretty as anyone else in the school. Like... me, for example. _My_ cheeks are pink and rosy. _My_ skin is soft and delicate. What is the matter with this boy?"

_Her neck is no whiter than a swan's  
She's only as dainty as a daisy  
She's only as graceful as a bird...  
So why is the fellow going crazy?_

_Oh why would a fellow want a girl like her,  
A girl who's merely lovely?  
Why can't a fellow ever once prefer  
A girl who's merely me?!_

In hysterical laughter by this point, Sharpay could not agree more with the two women singing the song. _This is great_, she thought. _I can't believe I almost didn't listen to this._ It was such a stress-reliever and it made her laugh at the ridiculous situation she put herself in. She wondered why Troy never paid attention to her, especially when she strutted her stuff and put herself out there, but instead fawned over Gabriella, who was shy and quiet and reserved. He loved her because of that; just because she was herself and didn't try to get with him. It was just fate. Unfortunately for Sharpay, fate did _not_ like her.

_She's a frothy little bubble  
With a frilly sort of air  
And with very little trouble  
I could pull out all her hair!! Ha ha ha ha!_

_Why would a fellow want a girl like her,  
A girl who's merely lovely?  
Why can't a fellow ever once prefer  
A girl who's merely me?  
_

And then it hit her.

She _had_ a guy who truly wanted her. Troy may never look twice in her direction, but Zeke Baylor was the one practically groveling at her feet. Now Sharpay couldn't understand two things. First, of course, was the ongoing question of how Troy Bolton could love a girl like _her_, but now she was inquiring herself. How could Zeke like a girl like herself? She was clearly complaining about another guy twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and he _still_ never left her side. She treated him like shit, and he _still_ treated her like royalty. How could Zeke love a girl like _her_?

_What's the matter with the man?  
What's the matter with the man?  
What's the matter with the man?!_

What's the matter with the man? No, what's the matter with _her_?

* * *

Sharpay walked down the hallways the next morning quietly, searching for one person. After the way she'd treated him yesterday, she wasn't sure he'd even want to talk to her, but she still had high hopes for their conversation. She looked away when she was greeted her brother and a reluctant Kelsi, she held back a gag when she found Troy and Gabriella holding hands and walking aimlessly down the hall, and most of all, she didn't make a spiteful comment in their direction like she always did.

"Troy, did Sharpay just ignore us?"

"I think so."

"God has answered our prayers."

"I think this is Sharpay's 'be nice' day. Treasure it close, Gabriella. It only comes once a year, kinda like Christmas."

She ignored their remarks and instead found Zeke shuffling through old papers in his locker. "Hey."

He glanced up and grinned. "Hi Sharpay."

"So listen. I listened to your song last night and... it made me feel so much better. It was hysterical and totally pertains to this whole relationship woes thing."

"Glad I could help."

"But then," She sighed. "I got to thinking. Troy is never going to like me. I need to give it up, right?"

He just stared at her and she groaned. "That was not a rhetorical question."

"Sorry," He threw up his hands in defense. "Um... I guess so?"

"Thank you. Anyway, I realized that you've liked me for so long and I've just been completely oblivious to that. I treat you like crap; you don't have to sugarcoat it. So I guess my question is... why do you like me? I mean, you know, the whole song was about why a 'fellow' should like a girl like that. Well... why do _you_ like _me_?"

"I like you because you're not Gabriella," Zeke admitted without missing a beat.

His reply caught her slightly off guard. "Wait... what?"

"You aren't Gabriella, Sharpay."

"Well... thanks. I know that I'm not Gabriella. I was never Gabriella and I will never be Gabriella. That's why I'm _Sharpay_."

Zeke laughed. "No, that's not what I meant. I like girls who have a mind of their own. Girls who can think of fun things to do and not wait around for the guys to make the first move. I love spontaneous girls and girls who get angry at little things and want to take revenge. It shows that they're not afraid to stand up for themselves, you know? Girls who are outgoing and have a sweet _and_ sour side are my type. And you, Sharpay, are all of these qualities."

Sharpay was dumbfounded and Zeke added. "Basically, you're pretty much perfect."

"That's ridiculous," She found herself saying. "_No one_ is perfect."

"Okay," He agreed, stepping a bit closer to her. "But if no one's perfect, then you're the closest thing to it."

"I think that was the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me in my entire life," She commented before leaning in and kissing him on the lips. "Thank you."

A bit dazed, Zeke just nodded in response. Some where a bell rang, and Sharpay began to turn away. "I gotta get to class. But Zeke?"

"Uh-huh?"

"I'm not completely opposed to trying that peanut butter cookie recipe."

As he watched her walk away, Zeke grinned, knowing this was exactly why he liked girls like her.

* * *

**Okay, so not totally the best thing I've ever written. But... I don't know. Help me out, tell me what you thought. Please and thank you. :)**


End file.
